Boulders to Cross

Head past Pinos Altos for this rocky hike on Cross Mountain Road, with a reward at the end.

by Linda Ferrara

Name: Cross Mountain Road

Distance: 2.95 miles round-trip

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: Starting at the corner of Highway 15 and 32nd Street in Silver City, take Highway 15 (a.k.a. Pinos Altos Road, a.k.a. P.A. Road) north 6.0 miles. On the right, you will see a street sign that says, "Cross Mountain Road." Turn right onto the road and drive 0.12 mile and park; there are a few pull-off spots to park in. If you have a high-clearance vehicle and nerves of steel, you can drive up farther. Good luck with that….

Hike Description: An uphill hike on a rough dirt road with lots of boulders, potholes, etc. to traverse. I recommend hiking sticks for this one. You will travel 1.45 miles on this road until you reach a small white cross with an arrow on it on the right side of the trail. Take this trail the remaining way up the hill. Along the way there are attractive places for views and a few nicely shaded areas with pine trees. When at the top of this trail, you will be rewarded with seeing a huge white cross on top of the mountain along with views of Silver City and points south. For more information about the history of the cross, check out my blog entry, 100hikesinayear.wordpress.com/?s=cross+mountain.

Notes: There are several other trails to explore along this road. Enjoy checking out the town of Pinos Altos from this angle; it's interesting to see the town sitting on the hillside.

Helpful Hint: If you want to see wildlife, leave your dog at home and focus on being quiet.

Linda Ferrara is a former Silver City real-estate agent and, of course, a hiker.